CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

I just picked up an ECP 4500, the guy said that the tubes have 500 hours on them. I got it home to set it up and the picture is distorted. Does it need to be degaussed? I tried calibrating the convergence but in some spots the lines aren't straight. also the focus is a little off. Here's the pics. I also took pictures of the tubes to find out if they're in good shape.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 2:46 pm Post subject:

I'm hoping you didn't actually pay money for this set. It should have been free, or REALLY close to free.

Do a full reset via the instructions on the main website, that hopefully will do it. There's no hour meter in the ECP, so I have no idea how the seller came up with the 500 hours. Top lack of focus looks like Scheimpflug adjustment issues rather than a tube or internal focus issue.

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

Well now I feel stupid for buying it :p it was $190, the guy said the tubes were replace and he'd only put about 500 hours on it since replacing them.

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Don't sweat it. I t will be a fun PJ to use and watch. The tube do look pristine and you'll get thousands of hours out of it.

Athanasios

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2015 10:10 pm Post subject:

Sorry, didn't mean for you to feel bad. It is the second to last ECP set that Ehome made, and they are pretty darn reliable. Check out this link, do the reset (you'll have to start the setup from scratch as you'll wipe the memory) and that should do it.

http://www.curtpalme.com/ElectrohomeECP.shtm

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

Thanks for the help, I thought it would be fun to play with, and better then spending money on a cheap pocket LED DLP projector.

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

I did the reset but still had distortion in the convergence grid pattern, I wiggled the convergence card and the grid became normal (dirty contacts?) other than that the only other thing is the top of the grid still goes off at an angle like it does in the picture so if that's caused by Scheimpflug adjustment how do I do that?

Nashou66 · Joined: 12 Jan 2007 Posts: 16171 Location: West Seneca NY

Just make sure the grid does not go off the edge of the tube face. thats what it looks like it might be. Does it remain there if you shrink the size of the grid down?

Aslo I would clean all connectors for everything. Make sure you note what goes where and how it is connected.

Have fun.

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

Checked the grid on the tube faces and it's within the tube face. other ideas? also I noticed in dark scenes the right edge of the screen is faintly brighter than the rest of the image (like a faint line), I paused and peaked into the tubes and they all have a slight bright edge on one side, is there a way to adjust that? when the image is totally dark it's not there. Also how would you suggest cleaning the connectors, Q tips? and what kind of solution should I use deoxit?

Thanks again for the help Smile

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

oh also you can see the outline of the whole tube face on the wall it's very faint but I thought that I only should see the area that the image is on? the outline isn't affected by shrinking the imagine it's constant. Is there a way to adjust that?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sun Feb 15, 2015 8:38 am Post subject:

Yes, your G2 is set a bit too high. that's an internal adjustment on the focus board.

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

The G2 helped out, it's black now during dark scenes and barely noticeable during bright scenes and the line on the edge is pretty much gone. I'm going to have to pick up some of that deoxit with a brush, I don't think any of the local stores here carry it. I noticed that if I go beyond 6 for contrast I start getting green outlines on the image thoughts?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:20 am Post subject:

Post a pix of the grid at 50 , 75 and 100% contrast.

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

I didn't notice it much in the grid but if you look at the top right you can see that the green line extends more at different contrast settings, looking at the grid again I think I might have shifted the projector when I was adjusting the G2 Razz

I need to get a screen too :p

50 Percent

75 Percent

100 Percent

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

not sure if this is of any use but here's a pic that I projected

original:

through the projector:

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:52 am Post subject:

Part of what I think you're seeing is the age and limitation of the tubes. It's an ES focusing set which is a few steps below an EM focusing set with larger tubes. Frankly, the image doesn't look bad for the age of the overall set. I think your red is a bit too high on the G2, seems like everything has a pink tint to it. Do you have an AVIA disc? Get one cheap on ebay, and it has gray scale test patterns in it to properly set the G2.

http://www.curtpalme.com/ES_Tube_Projector_Gray_Scale_Adjustment3.shtm

Other things that can cause the streaking/bleeding you're seeing is improper focus or astig magnet settings, a bad video neck board, misadjusted trimpots on the video drive board, and a few other things I'm probably forgetting...

thinker · Joined: 13 Feb 2015 Posts: 13

I did have an avia disc but I can't seem to find it :p I agree that the red seems too high. That's a long list for streaking/bleeding where should I start?

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 2:41 pm Post subject:

ONe at a time. Smile

Seriously, it could be about anywhere in the set. Short of buying spare parts, all you can do is swap the CRT sockets between tubes, as all are identical, to see if the problem follows the board.

UncleWill · Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 3:07 pm Post subject:

If you use it and enjoy it, you'll get $190 worth out for sure Very Happy